Travel information History Myanmar

Travel information Myanmar history: Myanmar is a republic in southeast Asia with about 48 million inhabitants. The country was known as Burma until 1989. It has a coastline of the Bay of Bengal, the Gulf of Martaban and the Andaman Sea. Neighboring countries are India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. The landscape of Myanmar is very varied. Half the country is covered by monsoon and bamboo forests, pine forests, deciduous forests and coastal mangrove forests. Furthermore, grass steppes, mountain ranges, rivers, deltas, coastal plains and coral islands. There is a tropical monsoon climate with three seasons. In the north a desert climate. Since 2005, the capital Naypyidaw. In the capital city is the fortress where generalissimo Than Shwe lives. Past capitals are Rangoon, Bagan, Mandalay and Bago. Other cities are Ava, Pegu, marapura, Sittwe port and Proms. Sightseeing in Myanmar: The teak U Bein Bridge on the Taungthman lake, the beautiful flora and fauna and the 32 kilometer long Inle Lake. The lake lies in the vast Shan Plateau. People here live on the lake in villages built on piles and floating gardens. Myanmar is also known for its festivals: the pwes and the pagoda festivals.